Extend reforms to farm sector, says BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party today demanded that
economic reforms be extended to the agriculture sector on an
urgent basis to remedy the situation of burgeoning foodgrain
stocks, falling market prices leading to distress sales, and
lower offtake from the public distribution system.

Trinamool calls bandh
Confrontation between West Bengal's ruling
Communists and the Trinamool Congress came to a head today with
the latter calling a 12-hour State-wide bandh tomorrow.

One killed as missile fires accidentally
A senior technical assistant was killed when a
missile was accidentally fired during a demonstration inside the
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) premises in Kanchanbagh here today.
The Defence Secretary, Mr. Yogendra Narain, had a lucky escape.

Nitish quits Cabinet
The Union Agriculture Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar,
today resigned from the A.B. Vajpayee-led National Democratic
Alliance Government following differences in the Samata Party,
precipitating a crisis ahead of tomorrow's crucial State council
meeting. The council is to elect the new State chief and members
to the national council, which is to meet on January 8 at
Bangalore.

Vajpayee suggests lesser quota for women
After virtually dropping the Women's
Reservation Bill in the last session of Parliament ``for want of
consensus'', the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, today opened
the issue again by saying that if all political parties decided
on an amended Bill - with reduced quota of reservation - it could
be considered.

No-trust vote fails in Nepal
Dissident MPs from the ruling Nepali Congress
failed today in a bid to bring a motion of no-confidence against
the Prime Minister, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, party officials
said.

Laxman ousts Jain from party post
The unceremonious ouster of Dr. J.K. Jain (of
Jain TV fame) from the national executive of the Bharatiya Janata
Party by the party president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, last night is
threatening to bring out into the open the big fight that is
taking place between this powerful member of the party and the
Prime Minister's Principal Adviser, Mr. Brajesh Mishra.

Qureshi back in Tihar Jail
The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)
leader, Hashim Qureshi, lodged in judicial custody for the 1971
hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane, was today sent back to
Tihar Jail from the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital following an
improvement in his condition.